KKR Sold Tank-Storage Businesses in Japan and South Korea
The private equity firm divested its terminal assets as it cycles out of logistics and industrial storage holdings.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Financial Services
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KKR has completed the sale of Central Tank Terminal Co. in Japan and Central Terminal Korea Co. to institutional investors. The assets provide critical storage and handling services to the chemical, energy, logistics, and agricultural sectors.
Why it matters
The divestment allows the firm to reallocate capital from its infrastructure portfolio, which currently manages roughly $119 billion in assets globally. This move reflects a shift in industrial asset strategy for the firm following its acquisitions of these units in 2021 and 2023.
The Japanese business includes 12 terminals housing more than 450 individual tanks, while the South Korean entity operates a terminal complex in Ulsan. KKR, which maintains $20 billion in assets in Japan, oversaw the sale of these units following a period of active industrial acquisition.
The players
KKR
A global investment firm that manages approximately $119 billion in infrastructure assets and executes large-scale private equity deals.
The details
The sold businesses serve as essential midstream infrastructure, providing handling and storage services for chemical, energy, and agricultural clients. Central Tank Terminal Co. was acquired by the firm in 2021, and Central Terminal Korea Co. was added in 2023. These terminals facilitate logistics flows across Asia, representing a significant portion of the firm's regional industrial footprint.
Timeline
2009: KKR began operations in South Korea.
2021: KKR acquired Central Tank Terminal Co.
2023: KKR acquired Central Terminal Korea Co.
September 30, 2026: The sale of the businesses was reported.
Market Landscape
This transaction follows the firm's 2021 and 2023 acquisitions of these terminal businesses, representing a strategic pivot in its infrastructure investment life cycle. The sale reflects a broader trend among major alternative asset managers to rotate capital out of specialized logistics infrastructure.
Operators in the chemical and energy logistics space should anticipate potential shifts in service provider relationships or terminal access following the change in ownership. Businesses utilizing these facilities should prepare to review existing service-level agreements as new management teams take control.
The takeaway
Large-scale infrastructure divestments often signal a broader rebalancing of regional portfolios that can disrupt established supply chain nodes. Monitor the operational transition plans of your midstream service partners when primary owners shift their capital allocation strategy.
Further reading
For broader trends in the industry, see our Financial Services section.
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